Recognize Symptoms of Kidney Pain in Women and Their Causes

Actually there is no difference in symptoms of kidney disease in women and men. Although women more often experience disorders of the kidneys than men, but men are said to be more likely to undergo dialysis due to the disorder. Kidney disease is a serious condition that needs to be treated properly so it does not become end-stage renal failure if not treated early Kidney is a pair of organs that are about the size of an adult's fist and is located at the bottom of the rib cage in the back cavity of the body. Kidney has an important role for the human body, especially for filtering the disposal of waste substances and poisons from the blood. The kidneys also function to maintain the balance of acid-base (pH) in the blood, maintain blood pressure, process vitamin D, produce the hormone erythropoietin which plays an important role in the production of red blood cells, maintain the levels of ions and electrolytes of the body, and expel excessive water in the body. The remaining substances will be discarded in the form of urine that is released during urination.

Vague and Hard to Know

Unfortunately, the symptoms of kidney disease often appear vague and unclear so it is difficult to know at an early stage. New symptoms will appear clearly, after kidney disease has been classified as severe. Symptoms of kidney disease in women and men, generally almost the same. Some of the early symptoms that appear in patients with kidney disease include feeling tired, difficulty concentrating, experiencing sleep disturbances, frequent cramps in muscles, decreased appetite, dry and scaly skin. In addition, the early symptoms of kidney disease include swelling around the eyes in the morning and frequent urination at night. If there are kidney stones, there will be symptoms of renal colic or severe pain in the back or waist due to blockages in the kidney ducts. Then, when kidney disease is getting worse leading to kidney failure, the sufferer is likely to experience:

• Nausea and vomiting.
• Reduced urine production or no urination at all
• No appetite and decreased sexual desire.
• Discoloration of urine and buildup of fluid in the body.
• Anemia or decreased red blood cells.
• A sudden decrease in potassium levels.
• Swelling in both legs and around the eyes
• Loss of consciousness

In addition, patients can also experience inflammation of the pericardium or the outer wall of the heart. These symptoms, if found in patients with severe kidney disease, especially if there are accompanying diseases, the condition needs to be treated immediately because if left unchecked will trigger damage to other organs and high risk of causing death. If kidney disease worsens, it may be necessary to dialysis to filter blood.

Various Causes

There are several types of kidney disease that commonly attacks, namely acute and chronic kidney disease caused by high blood pressure, kidney stones, infections, diabetes, accumulation of excess toxic substances, or in autoimmune diseases such as lupus nephritis. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects more women and if it has damaged the kidneys it will often cause severe damage if left untreated. Kidney stone disease is also caused by minerals and other substances settling in the blood, triggering the formation of stones in the kidney ducts which can cause severe back pain and kidney disorders. Acute kidney failure can be triggered by the use of certain drugs such as high-dose antibiotics, painkillers, herbal medicines, antifungals such as amphotericin B, and contrast agents for scanning tests. Other conditions such as sepsis, severe dehydration, or other conditions where blood flow to the kidneys decreases can also trigger acute kidney failure. Meanwhile, chronic kidney failure is often caused by hypertension or chronic uncontrolled diabetes, family history, kidney infections such as recurring pyelonephritis, and long-term use of drugs. There are also Glomerulonephritis caused by infections, drugs, inflammation that damages the kidneys, or birth defects. Also, urinary tract infections caused by bacterial infections. In women, recurrent urinary tract infections can be a trigger for kidney disease. Infection-causing germs if not treated properly can move from the urinary tract to the kidneys and cause damage. Risk factors for kidney disease due to age, race or family history can not be avoided. But you can take precautions as early as possible by controlling blood sugar and blood pressure, reducing salt intake, stopping smoking, drinking more water, for women to maintain the cleanliness of the intimate organs and urinary tract by doing a good cleansing after urinating, from the front backwards, and not taking drugs carelessly. If there are any of these symptoms, concomitant diseases that can trigger kidney disorders, or the results of blood tests show abnormal kidney function results, then you should consult a doctor or a specialist in internal medicine to get the right treatment.

Kidney Condition Diagnosis Test

In addition to paying attention to the symptoms of kidney disease in women and men, then to ensure that physical examination and special investigations can be done by a doctor. Tests for diagnosing kidney disease include:

• Laboratory examination

On blood tests, usually a complete blood count, electrolytes, kidney function: urea, creatinine, and Basal Urea Nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid in the blood. If kidney stones are suspected and high levels of uric acid and calcium are obtained, the stones are thought to be caused by the deposition of the two substances. Urine tests are done by testing albumin, a protein that can be passed into urine when your kidneys have a problem. Complete urine examination is also important to assess whether there is bleeding, infection, crystal buildup or small sedimentary stones that can interfere with kidney function. In doing this test, sometimes the doctor will suggest examinations for two days in a row.

• Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

GFR or glomerular filtration rate is to measure how well your kidneys are working, and determine the stage of kidney disease. The lower the amount of GFR, the worse is a person's kidney function. The formula for determining GFR requires parameters of serum creatinine values ​​obtained from blood tests. Creatinine is a waste or metabolic waste when creatin (a compound formed in the muscles) is broken down in the blood. The higher the creatinine level, the worse means kidney function.

• Imaging Check

Either ultrasound or CT scan, can produce clear images of the shape of your kidney and urinary tract. Through this examination the doctor will see the size of the kidneys, kidney ducts, and condition of the tissue around your kidneys. Tumors or structural abnormalities such as kidney stones or strictures (scar tissue in the kidney or urinary tract) will also be seen through this examination. In addition, a special Roentgen examination called Intravenous Pyelography (IVP) will sometimes be recommended if there is a suspicion of a blockage in the urinary tract or kidney that is not detected from an ultrasound examination. However, this examination is risky because it uses contrast agents by injection in veins that are toxic or toxic to the kidneys. Therefore, special preparations are generally needed before an IVP examination is carried out.

• Kidney Biopsy

On a biopsy, the doctor will take a small piece of tissue from your kidney. These tissue samples can determine the type of kidney disease you have and determine how much damage has occurred. Kidney biopsy is generally done if the examination of blood, urine, and previous imaging results are not convincing. This biopsy procedure can be done by surgical techniques, or by special tools through fatty tissue (percuteneus) guided by ultrasound. The risk of kidney surgery procedures for biopsy purposes can be in the form of bleeding.

The main goals of treatment in kidney disease are to inhibit or repair kidney damage, determine precipitating factors, treat comorbidities that trigger organ damage, and plan long-term therapeutic programs such as considerations for kidney transplants, diet programs and treatments for kidney failure patients. Kidney disease is a disease that cannot be taken lightly, kidney organ damage will lead to more severe comorbidities, damage to other organs, and difficulty in maintaining pH, electrolytes, and the process of removing toxic substances from the body. If you are in the final stage, where the kidneys are almost completely damaged, the body will need a routine hemodialysis (dialysis) process to get rid of toxic substances from the body. Symptoms of kidney disease in women and men should be detected as early as possible. If necessary, contact your doctor immediately and make sure to check the diagnosis of kidney conditions for proper treatment.